Reinforcing spacer



Patented Dec. l0, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENTLV OFFICE REINFORCING SPACER Richard Tratsch, Laguna Beach, Calif. n Application January 8, 1945, Serial N o. ,571,930

(Cl. 'Y2- 122) 8 Claims.

My invention `relatesto a spacer for retaining a'metallic member in place While concrete or the like A'is poured and permitted to set around it. Since it nds particular utility in forms adapted for spacing reinforcing steel in concrete from the face of the nished surfaces ofthe concrete, embodiments adapted for such use are hereinafter described, it being understood that my invention is not'restricted to such use.

It is general practice, desirable for structural andA appearance reasons and frequently required by specications, that the reinforcing steel in concrete walls and the like be spaced a minimum distance from the concrete form and nished surface of the concrete wall. 1t is desirable for structural reasons that the reinforcing steel be accurately positioned and retained in position during the pouring and setting of the concrete therearound to provide thecalculated strength to the structure. y

It-is -an object of 'my invention to provide an improved spacer lfor maintaining during pouring and setting of the concrete the reinforcing'steel atthe desired-position `within the concrete and aty the prescribed' distance `from the concrete form and the nished surface of the concrete wall. `More specifically, it -is an object of my invention to provide such a spacer which can be installed upon onlyy one -form` side, thus permittingits use where only one form side is employed and eliminating `the labor and time required for the connection of a spacer to two form sides.

A great ydeal of present spacing of reinforcing steel -in concrete is due to the time and effort required inthe installation of spacers between the forms. It is an object of my invention to minimize this eX- pense by providing a spacer which can be attached'to one formside with only vthe time *and effort required to 'drive a nail in the form side. 7VIt isa further object of my inventionA to prothe expense involved in thev vide such a spacer having-a portion whichfmaly Still another 'objectof -my invention is the provision of such a spacer which Imay 'be installed in the form wall Without the necessityof :boring holes through the wall -so that the parts vof the for-m wall, `whenmy invention is employed, are

not rendered-unfit for reuse.

AStill another object of my invention include the provision of such a 'spacer which can fhe installed with the use only of a hammer by workmen with no special skill and which is positive in its operation of maintaining the reinforcing steel in the desired position and which is inexpensive in its manufacture.

An embodiment of my invention is described inl the following specification, which may be more readily` understood by reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the spacer of my invention as installed in a form side and -supporting reinforcing steel ina con- Crete wall;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the Spacer of my invention after the form Wall has been removed and after the removal of a portion of the spacer from the concrete wall; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the spacer illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, whichis vfor illustrative purposes only, the numeral `Il) indicates the spacer of` my invention, which includes a rod Il, a supporting portion I2, and a portion I3, ishown as a reduced portion, separated from the supporting portion I2 by contactor engaging means in the form of an annular shoulder I4. The free end of the reduced portion I3 is pointed, as indicated Aby the numeral I5, so that it is' adapted for being driven into a form side I6, customarily made of Wood, by impacts upon the free endof the supporting portion I2 by a suitable tool, for example, ay hammer.

Adjacent the annular shoulder I4 there is pro-- vided a weakened break-back portion in the rform of an annular groove I'I in the reduced portion I3. While illustrated as an.V annular groove, it is obvio-us that the weakened break-back portion may be formed in Vother manners, as, for example, by one or more indentations, or by forming it of metal different from and more easily brealable than the metals forming the ,remainder of ,the

rod II is a. sleeve I8" having its outer end I9 oi'A larger cross-sectionalarea than .itsl inner end `ZIJ.'- 'I'he sleevey I8lis preferably, though not neces-y sarily, truste-conical in form, and its innerend'Z abuts against the annular shoulder I4 when *the asiaeo n 'l pointed end I5 is driven into form side I6, so that the outer end I9 of the sleeve I8 engages the inner surface of the form side I6. The rod II is thus supported substantially normal to the inner surface of the form side I6 not only by the penetra.- tionof the pointed end I5 and the reduced portion I3 into the form side I6, but also by the engagement of the sleeve I8 with the reduced portion I3, the inner surface of the form side I6, and the annular shoulder I4 of the rod II.

The sleeve I8 is preferably formed of a material having a limited degree of deformability,

such as cork, fibre, wood, or the like, and if de- Y sired, a metal washer may be interposed between the inner end of the sleeve I8 and the annular shoulder I4 of the rod II to enhance the supporting effect of the sleeve I8 upon the rod I I.

Retaining means in the form of washers or iingers 2l may be xedly or adjustably attached to the supporting portion VI2 of the rod II, or retaining means in the form of a tie 22 of wire or the like may be secured to the supporting portion I25before or after -the rod II isv installed in the form side I6. The retainingmeans in the formty of the washers or fingers 2| or the tie 22 engage opposite sides of a reinforcing steel'23 and prevent its horizontal movement relative to the form side I6 during the pouring and setting of the concrete, indicated by the numeral 25.y The retaining meansy 2| or 22-may be positioned to engage reinforcing steel intermediate the ends of the supporting portion I2, vor at the inner free end of the rod I I, or both. Y

While I have in Fig. l illustrated the concrete 25-"as cast between the form side I6 and an opposite parallel form side 26, it will be understood that the spacer III vmay be employed where onlyV one form side I6 is utilized, the concrete 25 during -setting being supported by means other than the form side 26, as, for example, a precast wall of concrete, bank of earth, or the like. I

AIt will be Vunderstood also that, while I have not illustrated or described wales or -uprights against the outer surface of the form sides I6 or 26 or battens or horizontal beams engaging the outer sides of the wales or uprights, these or other means Yto maintain the form sides I6 and 26 in proper position during the pouring and setting ofthe concrete 25 may be employed.

. kThe spa er IIJ, including the rod` II with the sleeve I8 positioned thereon, maybezinstalled in the form side I6 before its erection tosthe'position illustrated, but preferably thereaftergbyV impacts of a hammer upon thev free end of the suppOrt-. ing Yportion I2 until the pointed endjrl5 and the reduced portion I3 of the rod II are4 driven into the form side I 6, so that the sleeve I8 is compressed between the form side I6 ,andthe annular shoulder I 4. The sleeve I8 servesto provide a uniform extent of the penetration of the reduced, portions I3Vof a plurality of the rods I I. A plurality of the spacers Illjare installed in theforrn side I6to accommodate the desired number'` of reinforcing steels 23, which are prevented from moving horizontally during the pouring and setting of the concrete 25 by the 'washers or fingers 2I or the ties 22. j

When .the concrete 25 is hardened', theA form sides I6 and 26 are removed, leaving that part of the reduced portions I3 of therods II which had penetrated the form sideIIi 'projecting fromj the surface of the hardened concrete.. The rement of such reduced portion relative to the concrete 25 and the remainder of the rods II, this movement being permitted by the deformability of the sleeves I8. The sleeve I8 may be so formed that its cylindrical bore 30 includes a reduced portion 3| ai; its inner end 20 to p-rovide an annular flange 32 of such diameter that it may be forced over the reduced portion I3 of the rod II and received in the annular groove Il. The dimensions of the ange 32 are so related to the deformability of the material of which the sleeve I8 is formed that, while the ange may be forced over the reduced portion I3 of the rod II, when it is received in the annular groove I1, it retains the sleeve I8 upon the rod Il so that the two may be handled as a unit.

If it is desired to form the sleeves I8 of a nondeformable material, the rods II may be formed of material of high resistance to compression but of small resistance to tension, so that the rods .II will not fracture at the annular grooves II when the rods II are driven into the form side I6 but will fracture when the form side I6 vis removed and tension is exerted upon the reduced portions I3. It is preferred, however, toform the sleeves I8 of deformable material and the rodsv II of Vmaterial resistant to both compression and tension, as, for example, steel.

The reduced portions I3 of the Vrods II having been removed from the hardened concrete 25, the sleeves I8 are thereafter removed, or, if desired, the sleeves I8 are removed first; Thereaften'the recesses in the concrete 25 left by such removalv of the sleeves I8, and indicated by the numeral 21, are filled with cement Vor concrete, as indicated by the numeral 28, andmadeflush `with Y the remainder of the surface offthe hardened concrete, so that the exposed surface of theconcrete has a uniformappearance. 4' Y t t' Obviously the dimensions of the reduced portion I3 and the sleeve I8 may be made such as to provide the space between the exposed surface of the hardened concrete 25 and the broken end of the rod I I, as indicated by the numeral 29, which is made necessary by specifications or the like, Likewise the dimensions of the rod I I andthe sleeve` I8 may be of such value as to provide the n stability necessary to prevent movement of the reinforcing steelsw23` of any size. Thus, the portionV I3 of the rod I I may be yformed with a diam eter ,equal to, or` greater than, thediameterof the-supporting portion, I2. l K

While I have described my invention as applied to the-spacingy of reinforcing steel in concrete, it wi1l-be understood that my invention may be utilized for other purposes, such as spacing rail-' ings, pipe conduit, or thelike. f g v j ,-It will nowbe apparent that the embodiment of my invention hereinbefore described sfully capable o f performing the object sY and providing the advantages primarily stated; However, since various modifications and variations in theembodimentlherein illustrated anddescribed, like-y wisecapable of performing these objectsand providingthese advantages Willoccur to' those skilled in thisart, my invention is to be understood-as thereof` coming within the. scope of Vthe-claims which'follow. lIclaim` as my invention:

, l. I-nv a spacer for supporting,almemberqspaced from a form during the `placing Yof concretethere-,-

around,thecombinationiof :Y a,v rod having one' end pointed .and adapted 'for being driven into the.:

form, and having a weakened breakf-back portion spaced from said pointed end adapted for fracture within the hardened concrete whereby the pointed end may be withdrawn therefrom; a sleeve having an enlarged outer end and a reduced inner end mounted on said rod and surrounding said weakened portion and adapted for removal from the hardened concrete; contact means on said rod adapted for engaging the inner end of the sleeve with the outer end of the sleeve in contact with the inner side of the form; and retaining means attached to said rod and spaced from the inner end of said sleeve and adapted withdrawal from the hardened concrete mounted for preventing movement of the member relative to said rod.

2. In a spacer for supporting a member spaced from a form during the placing of concrete therearound, the combination of: a rod having one end pointed and adapted for being driven into the form, and having a weakened break-back portion of reduced cross-sectional area spaced from said pointed end adapted for fracture within the hardened concrete whereby the pointed end may be withdrawn therefrom; a sleeve having an enlarged outer end and a reduced inner end mounted on said rod and surrounding said weakened portion and adapted for removal from the hardened concrete; engaging means associated with said rod adapted for compressing said sleeve against the form when the pointed end of said rod is driven into the form, whereby said sleeve contributes to the support of said rod in a substantially horizontal position; and retaining means spaced from the inner end of said sleeve and adapted for preventing movement of the member relative to said rod.

3. In a spacer for supporting a member spaced from a form during the placing of concrete therearound, the combination of z a rod having a weakened break-back portion adapted for fracture within the hardened concrete whereby a portion of said rod may be withdrawn therefrom; a sleeve mounted on said rod and adapted for removal from the hardened concrete; and retaining means associated with said rod and spaced from the inner end of said sleeve and adapted for preventing movement of the member relative to said rod.

l4. In a spacer for supporting a member at a desired distance from a form during the placing and setting of concrete therearound, the combination of: a rod having a pointed end adapted for being driven into the form and having engaging means associated therewith and a weakened portion between said means and said pointed end of such reduced cross-sectional area as to resist fracture while said pointed end is driven into the from and t0 fracture upon bending or twisting of said rod; and a sleeve shaped for withdrawal 'from the hardened concrete mounted on said rod and adapted for engagement with said means and the inner side of the form.

5. In a spacer for supporting a member at a desired distance from a form during the placing and setting of concrete therearound, the combination of a rod having a pointed end adapted for being driven into the form and having engaging means associated therewith and a weakened portion between said means and said pointed end of such reduced cross-sectional area as to resist fracture while said pointed end is driven into the form and to fracture upon bending or on said rod and adapted for engagement with said means and the inner side of the form whereby said rod is supported by the penetration of said pointed end in the form and Contact of said sleeve with said form.

6. In a spacer for supporting a member at a desired distance from a form during the placing and setting of concrete therearound, the combination of a rod having a pointed end adapted for being driven into the form and having associated therewith an engaging' means and having an anular groove between said engaging means and said pointed end of such reduced cross-sectional area as to resist fracture While said pointed end is driven into the form and to fracture upon bending or twisting of said rod; a sleeve of deformable material shaped for withdrawal from the hardened concrete and having an opening therethrough whereby the sleeve may be mounted upon said rod; and a flange associated with said sleeve extending into said opening and adapted for reception in said annular groove to resist relative axial movement of said rod and said sleeve.

7. A spacer for supporting a member at a desired distance from a form during the placing and setting of concrete therearound, comprising: a rod of a length less than the thickness of the concrete, said rod having one end pointed to facilitate its being driven into the form to support said rod in the desired angular relation with said form; retaining means associated with said rod and projecting radially from said rod and adapted for restraining movement of the member relative to said rod; and a weakened portion in said rod of such reduced cross-sectional area as to resist fracture while said rod is driven into the form and to fracture when the form has been removed from the hardened concrete and the exposed portion of said rod is moved relative to the remainder of said rod, said weakened portion being at a greater distance from said pointed end than the depth of penetration of said rod into the form, whereby, when said pointed end is removed from the concrete after fracture of said rod, both ends of said rod are spaced a substantial distance inwardly from the opposed surfaces of the set concrete.

8. A spacer for supporting a member at a desired distance from a form during the placing and setting of concrete therearound, comprising: a rod of a length less than the thickness of the concrete, said rod having one end pointed to facilitate its being driven into the form to support said rod in the desired angular relation with said form; and a weakened portion in said rod of such reduced cross-sectional area as to resist fracture while said rod is driven intoy the form and to fracture when the form has been removed from the hardened concrete and the exposed portion of said rod is moved relative to the remainder of said rod, said weakened portion being at a greater distance from said pointed end than the depth of penetration of said rod into the form, whereby, when said pointed end is removed from the concrete after fracture of said rod, both ends of said rod are spaced a substantial distance inwardly from the opposed surfaces of the set concrete.

RICHARD 'ITATSCH. 

